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View Full Version : Archived: RAF BENTWATERS - "BEHIND THE WIRE" 12/09/10 REPORT



Tankman
16-09-2010, 08:45 PM
Pic Heavy
Whilst in the area on a "Cold War" Weekend UE, We took up the offer of a "Behind the Wire Tour" from the nice chaps from Bentwaters Cold War Museum. Myself and BK did the rounds:thumb

A lot of industry now ocupies quite a considerable part of the old base, but this industry is varied from aircraft restoration companys to potato harvesting in the once hardened aircraft shelters.
However a lot still remains of Bentwaters and its previous use:thumb
On with the show:smile

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/350.jpg

This huge Marconi array radar is privatly owned and is being restored by some chaps from an electronics company. Very nice too:thumb

We managed to get into the control tower but it was mostly stripped out of original kit, so we moved on to the Special weapons Bomb Stores.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/353.jpg

The armoured pillbox at the entrance still looks foreboding, the gates still worked and swung back as we entered the security check point!

Once inside we had a good look around but the best view was from the watch tower, only thing was it shook quite badly as I climbed the stairs to the top, and I wasnt sure if it was safe or not:lol:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/360.jpg
The only way is up:coffee
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/365.jpg

Once "Top Side" the views were spectacular and I had a Pano! of the whole area:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/379.jpg

The bomb stores laid out below me!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/376.jpg

After we had looked around the Bomb Store, we wondered over to the 92 TFS, Squadron building for some A-10 Wall art:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/386.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/390.jpg

Then on for a tour of some lovely aircraft that was nicely sitting in a HAS Shelter

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/443.jpg

With the klaxon sounding the doors rolled back to reveal this ex RAF Jaguar:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/441.jpg
I was nearly wetting my pants:lol: Just what the doctor ordered:coffee
Not to far away we also came across some more Jaguar's in various states of decay/repair?

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/452.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/453.jpg

Next was onto one of the fuel dumps:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/499.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/502.jpg

Overgrown and out of use since 1992 nature is slowly reclaiming back her land!

Loads more pics here of our visit:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/RAF%20BENTWATERS%20BEHIND%20THE%20WIRE/?start=all

And our original report of the Battle Command Centre can be read here:
http://www.urbexforums.co.uk/showthread.php/4730-RAF-USAF-Bentwaters-Cambridgeshire-July-09?highlight=BENTWATERS

Thanks for looking:thumb